【问题】说到下雨,英文有时说 rain,有时说 the rain,甚至还可以用不定冠词的“a”,来放在 rain 的前面,这些说法到底有什么分别?4 j5 |: E% V+ ?& k/ I
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【解答】一般是把“雨”当做物质名词(Material Noun)看待,所以前面不加冠词,单说 rain 就行了。如 Maugham 的一个短篇小说的题名就是 Rain 。英文的water,air,smoke 等都是物质名词,rain 算作物质名词,自然也很合理。不过物质名词常可变成普通名词,变性之后就可以加用不定冠词或说成复数,如hair, hairs; cake, cakes; poison, poisons; food ,foods;gas,gases;brick,bricks等,但gold,platinum,oxygen,hydrogen等字,则从来不会变成普通名词的。# P4 O' Z. K; @8 n
为什么有时又加用定冠词的“the ”呢?我想这大概是受了the sun,the sky用法的影响,但大都又不是限定的意思,所以“微雨”译作:
; S w8 d5 Y, o Rain is falling lightly. 或
! v- {6 ^7 {# R5 o, o, F% mwww.examw.com The rain is falling lightly.
$ C# {4 H( n7 i s 都可以,当然最好是说:4 O$ B, _4 w4 |; J4 B) S
It is raining lightly.. ^: k( p+ }4 Y# V. ] w% n- Y
在rain前如果用有形容词的时候,就一定要加用不定冠词的“a”了。“大雨”或“豪雨”说a heavy rain,实为a heavy fall of rain的节约说法。例如:0 p, m ]( H) u1 W; C# i. h
I put off my departure on account of a heavy rain.(我因大雨而延期出发。)
9 [8 h1 |$ ^1 o( s- s 在rain前可用的形容词,容在下面举例说明。至于中国话的“甘霖”,可译作a welcome rain,“红雨”可译作 a rain of falling blossoms,“弹雨”可译作a rain of bullets。“泪如雨下”,固然可译作a rain of tears,同时英文也可以说“雨如泪下”,即A soft rain fell like tears。这当然有冷雨孤衾,静悄悄中流泪的感觉。( L5 C$ O7 ^4 g# h
英文的rain一字虽是从古巩英文regn而来的,但它有一个希腊种的形容词hyetal,许多学术名词都用得着它,如hyetology(雨学),hyetometer(雨量表)等。在rain or shine一个片语中的rain=rainy weather(雨天。)用成复数时的rains=shower(骤雨。)the rains则指热带的雨季(the rainy season)。We have the rains in early winter.(雨季在初冬。)
: H- f' t' [- ] 下雪(snow)的用法和rain一样,但storm(暴风雨)前可以直接接“a”,如A storm was raging all along the coast.(沿海岸一带正刮着暴风雨。)如用“the”便有限定的意思,如Many trees in the park were blown down by the storm (of) the other day.(日昨发生的暴风雨,把公园里的许多树木都吹倒了。)现就rain的无冠词及有冠词的三种用法分别举例如下:
) T4 q1 W$ i$ w ~ (一) 不加冠词的:( U4 M: c$ B5 _! s% a5 b
It looks like rain.(好象要下雨的样子。)
. U$ ]$ T; v+ E4 x- Z Rain has set in.(下起雨来了。)8 ?' _, V/ h: _, C) C) i4 I1 y. Q
Rain was scarce. (雨量缺少。)1 o/ Z: o6 u6 i0 ]5 L% L; |/ j
We shall have rain. (要下雨了。)% Y. C* G$ \; P. c( B2 x" l2 f; t6 L# c: A
The farmers want rain.(农夫要雨。)
; N' s* }0 X; p' s' j* q! Z# x Rain came down in torrents.(倾盆大雨。)
' f6 L; O, _, G0 x/ g3 _6 C' S We will start before daybreak, rain or shine.(不问天晴下雨,我们都要在天亮前动身。)+ r; y. F8 x7 g2 c
We've had too much rain this summer.(今年夏天的雨水太多了。)( p7 B1 `4 j* F* j. ^0 m
We have been without rain for a long time.(好久没有下雨了。)* I/ |7 g j0 R8 ]
The coat is proof against rain.(这衣是防雨的。)
# F$ j0 W. m$ `% x( d Take an umbrella with you in case of rain.(带把伞去,怕下雨。)
3 a1 n" Y' l& `* R5 S) c Don't get wet with rain.(不要被雨淋湿。)
1 i: R# u# ~8 v. @* @3 Q We must take shelter from rain.(我们必段避雨。)3 v* b9 B4 H; G
(二) 加用冠词the 的:( c: N% ?( C0 g1 k
Here comes the rain!(雨来了。)
5 c3 I5 c( O9 ~& w4 S) k I was caught in the rain.(我遇到了雨。)0 W' B: C, H5 Z. w
The rain cleared off.(雨停了。)
, U6 |7 j {+ h7 v) L The rain has left off.(雨停了。)$ S' \) @ q$ W% K! z
The rain stopped suddenly.(雨突然停了。)
* z) h' Q5 X! |+ r The rain pelted against the windows of my car.(雨打在我汽车的窗子上。)+ n$ p- \3 f5 ~6 n( c' q! p
The rain poured (down) all day.(终日倾盆大雨。); A6 g, \. H% k4 S u
The rain has subsided.(雨小了。)7 u" ?9 D- ^7 b
The rain shut us up in the cabin.(因雨我们只好关在小屋里。): d L2 u& F% o1 i2 l) e0 f! A! c+ y' x
The hut is barely able to keep out the rain.(小屋仅能御雨)# i5 l- }) X& y" C8 w2 D% J$ o
The rain has abated.(雨停止了。)8 n# R" L3 U9 i! Z6 q$ K3 O5 }
(三) 加用冠词a的:: H3 g6 j% [7 [! N$ K! h
A sharp rain was beating against the window-panes and the quilt was not warm enough.(冷雨敲窗被未温。)9 W; ^1 u! T8 A+ Z3 H* t
A rain now came on, which continued for two or three hours, and made the road slippery and toilsome.(现在下了一场雨,一连下了两三个钟头,使得路上泞滑难行。)) i& x" W, \* L1 @: U' s
A cold rain was drizzling down.(冷雨濛濛而降。)9 v5 _4 ?: X+ o! ]: `$ h
A heavy rain visited the city.(城里下了大雨。)
! M; \2 w3 P& }+ F4 p! d7 ` A gentle rain is falling on the grass.(和雨降在芳草上面)8 y" K2 [/ N @# @" W
When the sun shines through a light rain, it makes a rainbow.(太阳照过细雨,便要现出彩虹来。)
D/ B3 {" U d7 L' {2 O 在rain前既可以加不定冠词的“a”,自然也可以变成复数了,例如: y, n) f" S+ G ` D2 D
The river rises after heavy rains.(几场豪雨之后河水高涨。)
v. P0 R' m& b0 ` It was visited by abundant rains(它遭受大雨袭击。) |